Traditionally, the first team meeting of an NHL training camp is devoted to speeches about winning the Stanley Cup. But this is a year unlike any other. And so when the Rangers gathered for their opening meeting Wednesday night at their suburban Westchester hotel, the team was addressed by league security official Dennis Ryan.

“The most important message is that everyone needs to be aware of his surroundings and environment at all times,” Ryan, former New York City police chief and longtime Ranger security advisor, told The Post yesterday. “I told the players to use caution and their better judgment if they were to, say, come upon a package that might seem suspicious; not to kick it, but to seek out help from the police in that type of situation.

“We’re all in a state of heightened awareness. We can’t just take things for granted or at face value. That’s what I wanted to share with them. It was basic advice I’d give any of our citizens.”

The Rangers took to the ice yesterday at Rye and attempted to go about training camp business as usual. And while the hockey did pretty much proceed as normal – Vladimir Malakhov, for instance, left his scrimmage with a pulled hamstring – it was viewed through a prism anything but ordinary.

“Living in the city, it could have been any one of us at any given time,” Mark Messier said after the workday had been completed. “I have friends that were in the [World Trade Center]. I’m sure that everyone in New York has been affected directly or indirectly, so we’re certainly no exception.

“I look at the unbelievable leadership we’ve gotten from Mayor Giuliani and Governor Pataki, the work done by all of the professional people involved in the rescue operations, and the unity that’s come out of this in the city and across the country, and it’s amazing.

“It’s important that we don’t allow this to affect how we’ve chosen to live in our country. We need to establish that we won’t allow our freedom to be taken away from us. I think the best way to fight back is to continue with life the way we’ve chosen to live it in America, Canada and the free world.”

The Rangers had been scheduled to open a nine-game exhibition schedule tomorrow night in Montreal, but all of tomorrow’s matches have been canceled by league order. Incredibly, it took until late yesterday afternoon for the NHL to cancel Sunday’s slate of 10 games, seven of which were scheduled for the Lower 48. The Rangers were supposed to play in Detroit on Sunday night. As of now, their first game will be at the Garden against the Devils Wednesday.

“The disruption in our lives is very minor compared to everything else,” said Glen Sather. “You have to look at reality. We’re all in mourning.

“Terrorism is a part of our lives now, professional athletes are no different than anyone, but at some point the citizens of North America have to get on with our lives. We need to pay our proper respects and get back to some routine so that we don’t allow ourselves to be defeated.”